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Does this bother anyone else?
- Thread starter polebridge
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- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
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- 35
Who said anything about quality. Not me. In fact when I said cheaper I specifically said 'price wise'. The point is 'Made in America' is better for the American economy and, I think, Americans in general. Not trying to solve the worlds problems here. Just don't want to see our great knife industry go the way of so many other American icons.
Got my latest A G Russell catalog yesterday and Mr Russell personally devoted some space to explaining why more and more
Chinese products were being offfered by his company; it is all about STAYING IN BUSINESS.
I have been buying knives from Mr Russell for decades and will continue to do so. His policies and ethics are beyond
reproach. He cites specific examples of how expensive it is to get his designs produced anywhere except offshore,
and assures his buyers that his personal standards for quality will not be compromised.
I believe him. I have no doubt his personal preference would be to have more products sourced domestically but
current conditions make that impossible. When major companies like Spyderco, Benchmade and Kershaw offer
Chinese products it is understandable that an independent businessman like Mr Russell would do whatever is
required to keep the doors open. Regretable, but understandable.
Chinese products were being offfered by his company; it is all about STAYING IN BUSINESS.
I have been buying knives from Mr Russell for decades and will continue to do so. His policies and ethics are beyond
reproach. He cites specific examples of how expensive it is to get his designs produced anywhere except offshore,
and assures his buyers that his personal standards for quality will not be compromised.
I believe him. I have no doubt his personal preference would be to have more products sourced domestically but
current conditions make that impossible. When major companies like Spyderco, Benchmade and Kershaw offer
Chinese products it is understandable that an independent businessman like Mr Russell would do whatever is
required to keep the doors open. Regretable, but understandable.
I don't think that any country can do a better job than the Taiwan made Gayle Bradley. The f&f is superb and the CPM-M4 blade is perfectly ground. Now, I understand how the US has outsourced most of it's manufacturing to China, but is that the fault of the Chinese? Ironically, a number of Chinese manufacturers are now outsourcing to Viet Nam due to increasing labor costs in China. Go figure.
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2010
- Messages
- 599
I dont think the U.S. makes the best of everything, as stated a quality product can come from anywhere. I just think as consumers, we buy to much mass produced crap from China. Poisonous toothpaste, drywall that corrodes all the metal in your house, lead in childrens toys, ect ect.
I just read the Wiki on Chairman Mao. Yikes, a country built on 45 million dead. I will be ok buying stuff from China when they allow freedom of speech. There are plenty of places to have your stuff made that do not support tyranny.
It was actually nice to see Benchmade and Buck make a commitment to locally made knives with the downturn in the economy. Benchmade shifted their "red" line (ha, funny) of products to other brands, and Buck has made a commitment to continually produce more of its products in house.
It was actually nice to see Benchmade and Buck make a commitment to locally made knives with the downturn in the economy. Benchmade shifted their "red" line (ha, funny) of products to other brands, and Buck has made a commitment to continually produce more of its products in house.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
- Messages
- 35
This is exactly my point. Is it regrettable that they offshore manufacturing to stay competitive or that we consumers buy offshore products and force them to. Today for most consumer goods we have no choice. Buy from overseas or don't buy. No options. It is great that we have the option today to buy knives made here but I feel that if we continue to buy the stuff made in China then this option will one day go away. Why should this consumer product be any different from all the rest? It is really not a corporate decision as much as a consumer one. Your dollars speak and they speak very, very load. If they say that all we are concerned about is price and nothing else then corporations will respond in kind. I know what I want my dollars to say. I will continue to buy US made knives. If they cost me a bit more than I will simply own less of them.
This subject has been beaten to death, and I usually have no comment, but the above is the main reason I never buy China. We may not have a choice with many things, but there are plenty of options with knives, and I hope it stays that way.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
- Messages
- 35
I agree and I suspect that whether or not it stays that way depends on our spending trends.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2010
- Messages
- 35
Sorry. I'm not sure I am getting your point here. Their is not much that can be done about consumer electronics. Too late! I am speaking about knives.
Chinese factory workers, most of which had nothing to do with the running of China in its darkest days, are supposed to suffer for the sins of their past leaders, most of which aren't even alive anymore? How far do you want to apply this ethical standard? North America wasn't a pristine wilderness prior to European exploration, contrary to popular belief. And most of North America's prosperity came at the expense not only of its exploited natural resources, but the robbery of its native peoples, and enslavement of whole populations.
Almost all of this argument over knives is absurd. China doesn't make knives. USA doesn't make knives. Knife companies make knives. The patch of dirt the factory sits on has nothing to do with the quality of its products.
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I recently bought a Kershaw Crown and CRKT Ripple. Both are made in China, but they're both remarkably sturdy knives. I guess the steel isn't the greatest, but they both came wickedly sharp, they stay reasonably sharp under modest use, and they sharpen easily.
So basically, I have no complaints..
So basically, I have no complaints..
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